from Julie Strong, Public Works, City of Austin:
Mr. Linehan, here is an update on the Shoal Creek issue, per
your request:
On September 29, the City Council voted unanimously to
remove the curb islands installed early this year along Shoal Creek Boulevard. The Council also asked Public Works to return to stakeholders for input
on how to re-stripe the street after the islands are removed.
During the fall Public Works conducted a facilitated
stakeholder-input process that included a public Workshop in October followed
by a ballot on the top re-striping options as identified by stakeholders.
Ballots were distributed to Allandale and Rosedale residents, businesses, tenants and property owners, and to local members of the
Austin Cycling Association and the Austin Ridge Riders.
The results of the balloting were 52% for keeping parking on
both sides of the street (Option 3 variants) and maintaining shared-use lanes
for parked cars and cyclists on each side and 43% for parking on one side and
car free bike lanes on both sides (Option 2).
The results were presented to the Subcommittee on Land Use
and Transportation on December 5th. Council Member McCracken, the Chair of the Subcommittee, proposed a new
plan whereby five different options would be tested at different locations
along the boulevard for a period of nine months (see attached Shoal Creek Boulevard Pilot Project
). The subcommittee voted to approve the proposal, and
directed Public Works to develop an implementation plan with estimated costs
for the pilots and return to the Subcommittee for review. Although the date is
not yet absolutely firm, Public Works expects to return to the Subcommittee for
its review on February 13.
Public Works has begun working on the implementation plan
and its cost and as requested in the attached plan will meet early next year
with the Stakeholder Committee prior to the Subcommittee’s February meeting.
As you may already know, subcommittee meeting dates and
agendas are posted on the City’s web page during the week prior to the planned
meeting. The City’s web page can be accessed at
http://www.ci.austin.tx.us. To confirm
the meeting date for the Shoal Creek agenda item, open the City’s web page and
follow the links through the Council listing cited to the left of the opening
page.
Thank you.
Cordially,
Julie Strong
Public Works
974-1413
